MACON, Ga. — Over 1,000 kids in Central Georgia are with a Big to call their own. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia is looking to get that number from 1,000 to zero.
On Wednesday, they teamed up with Macon-Bibb County to hold a joint press conference and announce a new 70 in 70 campaign.
Their goal is to recruit 70 mentors in 70 days to help kids across Central Georgia.
President and CEO of Big Brothers, Big Sisters Betsy Fitzgerald said they are looking for all kinds of people to be a big.
"We are looking for life experience. You don't have to have a certain education or job to be a Big. What we want is for you to be able to love a child and to commit to them and be able to have fun with them," she said.
The press conference was held at 10: 30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Commission Chambers at Macon City Hall.
In June, the group announced it received a $5,000 Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) grant to help reduce violence in the community.
The grant will also help Big Brothers; Big Sisters help other organizations form their own mentor programs by providing resources to get them started.
Fitzgerald said being a mentor can be a big part of the mission and prepare youth with valuable skills not just now but throughout their life.
"Mentors have an amazing impact in addition to helping them improve their academics and improve their relationships and social skills not just among their peers but amongst adults. It also helps them avoid negative interaction with law enforcement and helps them prepare for the next big step," she said.
Mentors need to dedicate around 4-8 hours a month to their Little and, most of all, be a positive force in their lives and help create well-rounded citizens.
There are in-person and virtual options for mentors and mentees.
"This is more of a friendship where they know that they can count on each other and being able to share their innermost secrets and be able to talk about things that might be hard to talk about with their peers," Fitzgerald said.
To become a mentor, check out the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia website or call (478) 745-3984.
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